>> bbc world news is presented by -- kcet los angeles. funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and katherine t. macarthur foundation and union bank.

>> and now, bbc world news. >> too close to call. australia goes to the polls but who will be next prime minister? >> face to face, israel and the palestinians agree to the first direct peace talks in two years. desperate for help, pakistan's government said the southern province is now the worst affected. six police officers are arrested in mexico in connection with the murder of a local politician. >> welcome to bbc news. we're broadcasting news in the u.k. and all around the world. voting is under way in the australian general election. opinion polls suggest the outcome will be the tightest in

years with a hung parliament and distinct possibility. the campaign has been dominated by personalities. the governing labor party is headed by australia's first female prime minister, julia gillard, who ousted her successor given rudd just a few months ago. her component, conservative opposition leader tony abbott, has successfully exploited the interm divisions of following the sudden change in leader shch. joining us from sydney is our correspondent nick brand. welcome. are we any closer yet to getting a clearer idea of what is going to happen there. >> it's a terrible cliche but it's true. 14 million australians compelled to vote, of course, under the country's compulsory voting laws will decide this outcome. labor is worried. the very highest levels, high command. they are frightened. tony abbott, this conservative opposition leader, has harnessed the late momentum going into this campaign, but it is a photo finish and that he might have done enough in those final

hours. they're hoping that's not the case. they always said there's a plausibility problem about tony abbott. he's known as somewhat erratic. his nickname is the mad monk. and they're hoping that when voters finally get in the polling stations, they won't actually go for the liberal opposition. but much of this has come from the bloodletting of the labor party, that decision to oust kevin rudd on the eve of the election, and a gamble for australia's first prime minister may well have backfired. >> you mentioned tony abbott, we have pictures, in fact, nick of tony abbott voting. and in terms of apart from what he has achieved so far, what about kevin rudd and his ousting, how much of that has impacted what the voters are thinking.

>> julia gillard did enjoy the brief honeymoon period after she was the first australian prime minister in political history. but the mood soured pretty quickly and there was a feeling especially in the state of queensland that kevin rudd was very hard done by. he is a queenslander himself. why that's particularly significant is about 20 marginal parliamentary constituents will decide this race and half of them are in kevin rudd's home state of queensland. so the impacts of it has really hit labor very badly there. and i think also it reinforced this message from tony abbott, that he is the man to turn australia to stable government, the kind of government they saw under john howard, appeared in governance which lasted over 11 years. and this line that he is the man to end this soap opera of labor strife has had some resonance. >> but like we just had recently here in the u.k., it could be a hung parliament.

what would it be like for australia if that should happen? >> well, the hung parliament wouldn't work in quite the same way as in britain because the balance of power would probably be held by three independents who don't vote as a block. sls a possibility as well the greens might pick up the first m.p. in the lower house of parliament, the house of representatives. so it's not as if the labor party will have to seek a formal coalition or the liberals who are already in a coalition with another conservative party will do so. it would be more a case of governing as a minority government trying to pick up support on an ad hoc basis, that kind of thing. so there is a possibility of a hung parliament, and as you say, this is probably the closest election australia's had for about 50 years. >> and, nick, how long then before all of the results are in and we will know what has happened there? >> well, the polls show on the east coast of shut about 6:00, that's 9:00 your time in london. so we will get a sense of and

how things are going around the polling stations around the country. and election day has been overshadowed somewhat from the tragic news from anne that two australian soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb. julia gillard start the day last-minute campaigning in the western suburbs of sydney, a home to many key marginals, she had to perform a more solemn duty as prime minister and announce and comment on the deaths of two australian soldiers, australian diggers as they're known here. >> bbc's nick brown reporting live for us there. many thanks, nick. they ruled singer wyclef jean to be ineligible to stand for president in elections in november. he international hip-hop storn was born in haiti but raised in the united states. he hoped to stand in the elections but doubts had been raised whether he met the

eligibility requirement of having lived in haiti for the past five years. american secretary of state hillary clinton says direct peace talks between the palestinian and israeli leaders will open in washington in two weeks' time. she said the aim is to achieve a just and lasting peace within one year. but the militant palestinian group hamas, which controls the gaza strip, has already rejected the talks. our middle east editor jeremy birm has more. >> this was gaza in 2009. another war between israelis and palestinians. plenty on both sides are resigned to more of the same in the future. the fear infected on civilians, israelis and palestinians and the legacy of years of killing mean that the two two sides don't trust each other. that's a major problem if they're to make a deal within a

year as the americans hope. in washington, hillary clinton, the american secretary of state warned it wasn't going to be easy. >> as we move forward it is important that actions by all sides help to advance our effort, not hinder it. there have been difficulties in the past thrfment will be difficulties ahead. >> she said all the big issues would be on the table. those include the political status of jerusalem. both sides want a capital there. the borders of a future palestinian state will have to be agreed. that will mean jewish settlements being removed from land that goes to the palestinians. and they'll have to be a just solution for palestinians who lost their homes in what became israel after 1948. there's plenty more besides all of that, including security guarantees. it will be a huge challenge.

since the first historic handshakes between israeli and palestinian leaders at the white house in 1993, every attempt at negotiation has failed. the failures made matters worse. you can see why neither side now is jumping for joy. >> we know these talks will be complex. we know there are difficulties ahead. but a deal is possible, and every effort has to be made to make that happen. >> we hope that the israeli government will refrain from settlement activities, closures and any productive acts like munition of arms, deporting people from jerusalem in order to give this peace process a chance. >> this is gaza beach, sweltering like the other palestinian territories and israel in a heat wave. gaza's control by hamas, which isn't interviewed to the talks but still rejected them as an american attempt to fool the palestinian people.

these days israelis and palestinians are most likely to come into contact at checkpoints. both sides are cynical about any peace talks. it's taken around 18 months of hard u.s. diplomatic labor to arrange the latest. israeli and palestinian leaders met breeferly and awkwardly in new york last year. president obama has a tough job ahead. jeremy bowen, bbc news. >> the pakistan government says the southern province of cindy is the worst hit by floods with 2.5 million people affected. new warnings are being issued and villages evacuated. meanwhile, the only way flood relief can reach parts of the northwest is by helicopter. in an unusual news, american military crews are now providing vital supplies to those remote areas. the bbc's haroun bashid flew with the american marines. >> americans in an american

helicopter arrived to the people affected by the floods in this remote strict. these helicopters are the only link this area has with the outside world. the area is cut off after floods destroyed roads and bridges three weeks back. these helicopter flies assure the local population that they have not been forgotten. >> we have americans flying, helicopters in pakistan now, which is quite unusual. the pakistani people have seen us save thousands and thousands of lives were distributing food, collar ra's breaking out. listen, this area underwater is larger than italy or larger than the united kingdom for that matter. we have a lot to do and we're not turning away from the pakistani people. >> but running this operation is say difficult task. >> this has been very useful. we have brought in 400 flights and medicine and doctors and

ngo's. all of the figures are dependent upon being here and organizing the effort. >> with the routing of taliban last year and the arrival of the u.s. marine helicopters, local perception of the americans is changing fast. suddenly the local population, mostly past pass tune, now appreciate the american presence. >> in the past it was extremism, it thought from america. but presents most of the people, i say more than 95% of the people think that the -- the -- they are friend indeed and america help us out, really much. >> some people say it is a small change at a very local level. americans need much more to do than this to win hearts and

minds of all pakistanis. >> by taking active part in the relief effort, the west, especially the united states has won public support here. but the question is -- how to make this support permanent? for that the rest will have to think of a long-term strategy. bbc news, islamabad. >> the authorities in china continue to search for dozens of people missing, presumed dead due treent widespread flooding there. passenger as board a train in the szechuan province had a narrow escape and forced a roof to collapse. two carriages were left dangling and passengers are crew forced to scramble to safety. minutes after the last person was rescued, the cars plunged into the water below. the u.s. defense department released its final report on the ft. hood shootings. investigation was launched after major nadal hasan killed 13 people on the army base in november. they found military supervisors must have more access to soldiers' personnel records and

higher alert of workplace violence. one of the three biggest traffickers of the world has been arrested in colombia. a venezuela national is accused of smuggling ten tons of cocaine a month out of colombia. he's wanted by the authorities in the united states and venezuela. this is bbc news. still ahead on the program -- learning the lessons of mows zam beak. how did the african nation survive after its terrible flooding? british -- french finance ministers have been forced to cut their foreign deficit. they are expected to grow 2% next year, not 29 1/2% predicted. >> it's still a rare sight to see a politician returning to the office in august. but such is the size of french's

president entry at the moment. there's very little time to waste. this autumn the government faces further strikes over plans to raise the retirement age, not to mention the pressure building over france's considerable debt. he needs to find 100 billion euros in savings in he's to slash the deficit of 8% of g.d.p. to the e.u. limit of 3% by 2013. critics say the president's plans are balanced on some shaky economic figures for 20 11. figures that were reassessed today in the wake of this meeting. finance ministry believes growth next year will be only 2%. that's a shade below the government's previous forecast of 2.5%. there is also evidence that the cautiously optimistic figures part companies' restocking after the recent downturn and critics point to the unemployment figures, which are still stagnant at 10%. no wonder the president's

aprimbal ratings suring and now the government is left with only rume for rumor. and looking backstage on the international credit agency to decide how much it must pay for its defendant. and the country still well positioned to retain its coveted triple a rating but these considerable challenges do increase the possibility of a downgrade. so the government faces a tricky balance ling -- balancing act, pushing these these skiry reforms without scaring the market. >> this is bbc news, a reminder once again of our headlines. voting has gun in the australian general election. opinion polls suggest the outcome will be the tightest in years, and a hunged parliament distinct possibility. there will be direct peace talks in two weeks' time. pakistan's government said the southern province is now the worst hit by the floods, which have devastated much of the country.

now, let's go back to the australian election. polling has been going on for some hours. nick brand has been to a polling station in sydney. >> from the shores of new south wales to the mining fields of western australia, to the ports of tasmania to the northern territory, some 14 million people will vote in this australian election and they don't have a choice. you actually get fined in this country if you don't because voting is compulsory. australia's seen a fote finish election. unexpectedly tight race with the liberal opposition leader tony abbott really putting up an unexpectedly strong showing indeed. the final polls are suggesting that the late momentum is with him. the polls are suggesting it's pretty much 50/50 right now. and this is the hope and the honeymoon she enjoyed after becoming australia's first female prime minister would last

until polling day but it hasn't. because many people have been unhappy the way in which she got the job, which was to oust her once popular predecessor, kevin rudd, in a rather brutal and bloody coup. so we've ended up with a tight election, even though the australian economy is very strong, even though you have to go back to the great depression to find a first-term government which has been voted out of office. tony abbott, this liberal leader, is saying he will restore grown-up government and end the soach operaing of the labor years. gillard is asking people, do they really want tony abbott as their prime minister? >> president obama's counterterrorism adviser has called for the man convicted of the 1998 lockerbie bombing to be returned to prison in scotland. john brennan said the release by the scottish government of the libyan al ma grahe hee after diagnosis of terminal cancer was

inappropriate and wrong. from new york, matthew price reports. >> it's a year now since libya celebrated the release of the man convicted of the lockerbie bombing. today he's still alive. so too are the questions surrounding his freedom. scottish officials say abdel bass was treated by any other prisoner. his records were resued by the head of the prison medical service who gave him three months to live. but critics such as this leading expert in the field say no prognosis can be given with any certainty. >> i was quoted in the glasgow herald saying about a week or so after he was released. and here we are a year on and he's still alive and this is embarrassing for the scottish government and causing all sorts of problems in the u.s. and elsewhere. >> he has terminal prostate cancer. he will die from that terminal prostate cancer. the decision stands.

everybody knows somebody who has given that prognosis of short life expectancy, who then outlived that prognosis. that happens in these cases. >> it's more than two decades since flight 103 was blown up on its way to new york's jfk airport. the grief may be less raw today but abdel basset al megrahi's release has only increased the anger. there's rarely political consensus in the u.s. these days, and yet on this issue, there is. he should not have been let out of jail. most of the 270 people killed were americans. today the wlouse reiterated its disappointment with the decision to release megrahi. >> we expressed strong opposition that megrahi should serve out the remainder in its entirety in prison. we will continue to tell the authorities this and the president extends his deepest

sympathies by those affected by that reprehensible act of terrorism. >> also questioning the decision, mary kay stratus and her daughter sonya. tomorrow morning sonya is getting married but her father, who died in the pan am bombing, will not be here to see it. >> i'm definitely sad. i miss my dad. he will be -- i will be carrying a picture of him on my buick ok -- bouquet so in essence he will be walking with me down the i'll aisle. >> here they know they can't force british officials to release more information but while megrahi remains alive, they will keep looking for answers. matthew price, bbc news, new york. >> as we've been hearing, pakistan has accepted an offer of $5 million in aid from its neighbor india. it's a rare expression of goodwill between the two countries but perhaps indicates something of the scale of the crisis. the satellite image from nasa shows the riv cher runs the length of pakistan before and after the heavy monsoon rains. ten years ago, 800 people were

killed in mozambique when there was devastating floods there. what can pakistan learn from that disaster? our african correspondent laura harding has been to mozambique to find out. >> the great green limpopo, on best behavior today but this giant river has a habit of think ing it's a lake. in 2000, vast chunks of mozambique were flooded, 2 million people affected. first the outside world seemed to shrug, until this moment a treetop rescue for a mother and baby girl born in the branches. their ordeal helped to sway the british public to donate some 30 million pounds in aid, the same amount raised today for pakistan. the baby is now 10 and thriving.

mother care line has a new baby, and this advice for other flood victims. "don't give up hope," she says. hope did come from our own communities and from aboard. in 2000, samuel helped lead the fight against the flood. >> there was a feeling of frustration and the feeling we don't have the capacity to handle the situation. it was beyond the capacity of the government. >> but mozambique has tried to learn from its mistakes. countries like pakistan might do well to take note. and so rescue practice, the fishermen along the river. some exposed communities have now been moved all together, the planning and training has helped

reduce the impact of more recent floods. >> it is crucial for saving lives and warning the rescue, it will include first aid. it includes indication of escape routes and safe places. this is part of what's going on. >> the lessons learned here apply to so many disasters. the needs so far have coordinated international aid. the importance of getting survivors back to work as soon as possible and above all, the need to plan, to help communities prepare for the next time. rosita's birth is now part of mozambique's national curriculum. the girl herself shrugs off a celebrity and clamors back up the tree that cradled her. symbol of endurance in a country learning to cope with an unpredictable climate. andrew harding, bbc news, mozambique.

>> prosecutors investigating the murder of a mayor in the city of northern mexico said they made a breakthrough with the arrest of six police officers. he was abducted and found dead three days later. >> six police officers on parade. this time as suspects. they're accused of helping kidnap and murder a popular young mayor who tried to root out corrupt officers in the local force. >> four of the policemen we detained served as lookouts. another of the police took part in the kidnapping of the mayor and there was the guard who was kidnapped with the mayor but later released. we believe he, too, was involved. >> the mayor of santiago in northern mexico was yet another victim in the country's drugs war, dragged from his home by gunmen, his body was later found dumped by a roadside.

of the 28,000 deaths notched up since president caled rhone began his armed campaign against mexico's drug lords, most have been the victims of turf wars between cartels. but he is one on a growing list of public figures to be killed, too. it was thought he was ordered on the orders of a drug barren for whom he had become a nuisance, that these six task with protecting him have been accused of helping arrange his death speaks much of the drug gang calculated brutality and their ability to corrupt those who are supposed to protect the long suffering mexican public. jack izzard, bbc news. >> just an update once again. voting is under way in australia's general election after one of the closest fought campaign for decades. israeli and palestinian leaders have welcomed washington's proposal for the resumption of direct peace talks. and that's our world news for once again. it's been good to have you with

us. >> funding was made possible by -- the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and katherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank.

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